Sources of errors in reactor neutron activation analysis of biological samples

This paper focusses some of the sources of errors in Neutron Activation Analysis of biological samples arising from contamination of samples during irradiation, flux variation during irradiation, threshold reaction interferences and typical spectral interferences in quantitation. Use of reference samples as comparators in the preparation of new standards can lead to hereditary transfer of errors. To assess the analytical data in INAA use of ion-exchange resin loaded standards allow the preparation of required compositions. The importance of S/N ratio in quantitation by NAA is demonstrated. (author)